


Matchmaker, Matchmaker

by IndePUNdent_Thinking



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bad Matchmaking, F/M, Falling In Love, Post-Neverland, Relationship(s), Romantic Comedy, Season 3 Finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-04
Updated: 2016-04-19
Packaged: 2018-05-31 06:22:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 19,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6459319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IndePUNdent_Thinking/pseuds/IndePUNdent_Thinking
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Season 3 Divergence: Post-Neverland - Regina finds a way to send them back to the Enchanted Forest. When Emma Swan accidentally tells Mary Margaret to find her a husband, she finds herself warding off suitors and wondering why a certain one-handed pirate is in a very bad mood.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Based off something my mom threatened to do to me (I wish I were kidding).  
> Disclaimer: I don't own OUAT.

Emma rubbed her temples in frustration.

"No, Mom."

She was tired, so very tired of having this same argument over and over again. She was running out of viable excuses.

Mary Margaret continued to look at her with those hopeful eyes that she had become famous for.

"Emma, it's been two years! You've refused any sort of invitation that has come your way-"

Emma sighed in anger.

"I'm still adjusting, okay? I mean, we all are! And where am I going to find a husband anyway?! Are you going to find me one?!"

Mary Margaret grinned, clapping her hands.

"Oh Emma, what a great idea!"

Only then did it hit Emma.

"Erm, I didn't mean…look, it was just to shut you up..." she tried to backtrack before Mary Margaret could get carried away.

"No no! It's a fantastic idea! I know this place and the families that live here! I can just arrange a few meetings…"

"There is no way in hell I'm agreeing to this."

Mary Margaret just smiled at her.

"You already have."

Emma dropped her head into her hands.

"I've made a big mistake."


	2. Regrets are for the mornings only

Emma awoke the next day feeling good. Then she remembered the conversation from the night before, and she made the decision to stay in bed for the rest of the day, and if she could, eternity.

"Milady?"

She lifted her head and saw a timid maid at the door.

"Yeah?" she replied warily.

"I've been sent to fetch you. A council meeting is to be held."

Emma rolled over and groaned. Her day had officially gotten worse. Dragging herself out of bed, she dressed herself as quickly as she could, throwing on a pair of breeches and a tunic.

"What I wouldn't give for a coffee." She mumbled, as she followed the young girl.

As they made their way towards the council room, Emma marveled at the castle around her. It still amazed her after 2 years. It was large and richly furnished, reminding her very much of the castle at Disney World, a comparison that made her snort with laughter. She'd always wanted to go to Disney World. Who wouldn't? It was every child's dream. She would look at pictures of the castle and wished that she could live there and now…. She chuckled some more.

As they passed the throne room, Emma's pulse started to race. This was the one thing she didn't like about the castle. The throne was a stark reminder of who she was, and who she'd become one day, and Emma was not ready to accept it. Not yet, anyway.

They finally reached the council room, and the maid departed after a series of deep bows. Emma sighed and pulled the giant doors open. Her parents were already there, having a deep discussion with Granny Lucas over a map by the window. Leroy was seated at the table that took up most of the room, and he was fast asleep.

"Ah, sleeping beauty awakes."

If she knew her day was going to get any crappier, she would have refused to leave the bed. Where'd he come from anyway? Was he hiding in the curtains? And when did he get back? Why didn't he tell her?

"Hook."

He grinned at her. Three months away at sea had given him a tan, setting off his deep blue eyes and making his raven hair seem even darker. He was in a black shirt, unbuttoned low as always, and Emma noted that his tan was not restricted to his face. Had he toiled upon the Jolly sans shirt? She felt her face redden at the thought. _Focus, Emma!_ She told herself. Somehow, her thoughts kept drifting back to the pirate. He had worn his ridiculous leather pants today. Were they always so tight? How he kept getting more attractive was beyond her, and it annoyed her. Stupid pirate.

"Did you miss me, darling?" he asked, grinning at her.

She snorted as she flopped down into a chair near Leroy, who awoke with a grunt.

"You wish." He laughed gaily, as if he was expecting that response.

"Emma! You're here." David rushed over with a grin and a cup in his hand. "I got you some coffee."

She beamed up at him in delight. "Thanks! You're the best…Dad."

The smile that he responded with was blinding. It took her awhile to get used to the fact that she did have parents, even if they were practically her age. And every time she made reference to that relationship, her parents reacted as if they had won the lottery.

"Ah Neal! You're here. We can start."

Mary Margaret called attention to the man who had just slipped in. Neal's hair was wild and his eyes still reflected sleep. Emma realized that he too must have been awakened, and she felt a sense of comradeship.

"Why did we have to do this so early?" he mumbled as he took his seat next to Emma.

She shrugged, and offered him a sip of coffee. She and Neal had slowly become friends over the past year. They had both realized that they had changed – Emma liked to think it was because they finally grew up – and the spark that brought them together when they were teens did not exist anymore. They had tried to rekindle their relationship after many not-so-subtle hints from Mary Margaret, but in the end they both agreed that it wasn't going to work.

"Captain Jones - Emma saw Hook wince slightly – got back from Agrabah last night, and the mission went well, didn't it, Captain."

Hook scratched his ear. "Right you are, Dave."

David frowned and poked him on his arm.

"Sorry, your majesty." Hook drawled, rolling his eyes in the most exaggerated way possible.

"The Sultan has agreed to become a trading partner and an ally." He informed the room.

Emma smiled. This was great news. Mary Margaret and David had to start forming diplomatic ties all over again, and it had been hard, especially since they were now friends with Regina.

"He also extended an invitation to us to attend the marriage of Princess Jasmine and Aladdin." Hook grinned at Emma.

"Apparently he was a common thief when they met. Funny how that works out, eh?" Emma glared at him.

"…and I ran into the Evil Queen herself and Tinkerbell on way back." Hook said, looking at Neal.

At the very mention of Tinkerbell's name, Neal's head shot up. "She wanted me to give you her regards, Bae." He said, a smirk forming at his lips.

A light blush dusted Neal's cheeks, and he nodded stoically. Hook then turned to address the room. "Her Highness has found her true love, and they'll be here within a fortnight."

Emma was shocked. Regina had found a boyfriend before she did? Regina? That was not fair. Mary Margaret was definitely going to be on her case now. She struggled to maintain her poker face as she noticed that Mary Margaret was eyeing her carefully.

"Speaking of true love…"

Emma groaned. Was Mary Margaret going to make an announcement that would alert everyone to Emma's spinsterhood?

Mary Margaret ignored her and carried on.

"I've taken the liberty and invited some suitors to the palace, and they should be arriving soon."

David and Hook both shared frowns.

"And Emma agreed to this?" David asked in disbelief.

Emma glared at her mother.

"I still say I was tricked into it."

Mary Margaret beamed.

"She suggested it herself."

Before Emma could shoot more daggers her way, she continued "but of course the decision would be Emma's to make. They're just…options."

Neal choked on laughter, which he quickly covered up with a cough.

"Congrats, Ems." He said with a smirk.

Emma trod hard on his boot and was satisfied when he winced. She glanced at Hook at the corner of her eye. He was still frowning, and for some reason, that pleased her.

"So there's be foppish princes prancing about the place?" he asked in disgust.

Mary Margaret stared him down.

"Not all of them. There are some Dukes and Lords, and some without any title. Just good and honest men."

Hook and Mary Margaret continued to stare at each other, until Hook finally averted his eyes.

"Well that doesn't sound like fun. You need a good rascal every now and then to liven things up."

He turned to smirk at Emma, and licked his lips.

Emma rolled her eyes. "If this meeting is done, I have things to do."

She pushed her chair back and rose to her feet. She stood, arms crossed, waiting for David to dismiss them.

"Er, yeah, we can end this meeting now, unless someone has some other news…?"

Everyone responded in the negative. Emma took that as her cue to leave. As she strode through the doors, she felt a presence behind her.

"I missed you." She whirled around, and saw Hook standing behind her, uncharacteristically serious.

There was no curled lip and deep drawling voice. Before she could respond, someone called for him, and he strode past her. She had missed him, despite her claim to the contrary. They had become something resembling friends in the past year. He had become a drinking buddy when she needed one and he was surprisingly insightful about royal etiquette. She had even gotten used to his innuendos, and they barely fazed her anymore. He had initially pulled away from her when they first got to the Enchanted Forest – he barely glanced her way and had volunteered to lead any diplomatic mission that David had announced. It had stung Emma at first, but she would have been a fool not to have realized that he was avoiding her because of Neal. Funnily enough, one of the reasons she couldn't be with Neal was because of Hook. There was something that burned in her belly whenever he was around. She blamed the kiss. That damned kiss in Neverland. Every so often she'd remember it and she'd feel hot. Of course Hook could kiss. It was a passionate, desperate kiss of a man who wanted more from her. More than what she had been willing to give. Now though…now….

She wasn't sure how she felt. Hook was a shameless flirt, a womanizer, and she didn't want to be another notch in his bedpost (or did he keep count on his wheel? she wondered) even though she knew he wouldn't tell another soul. Not to mention the fact that he straight-up avoided her for an entire year. Though he had made up for lost time recently by indulging her requests to visit local pubs and staying up late to bitch about royal etiquette. Emma sighed in frustration. She was working herself up unnecessarily, and was now angry and frustrated. Time to go take it out on David. She grinned and she headed off to her room to pick up her sword.


	3. The parade of bachelors begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Say hello to suitor #1!

Just as Emma finished the last of her breakfast and was nursing her second cup of coffee, the trumpets rang out.

Emma stifled a laugh. That was still one of the most ridiculous things about the castle – trumpets as doorbells.

She had teased David for a month about them. He was still testy whenever she brought the subject up.

Mary Margaret stood up, looking thrilled.

"He's here!"

Emma swallowed hard, the warm coffee turning cold in her mouth, and rushing to the pit where her stomach once was.

 _There was nothing like an unwelcome suitor to put you off breakfast_ , noted Emma.

"Already?" she said weakly.

Mary Margaret worked fast. She rose to her feet. "Alright, we better get this over with."

Mary Margaret glared at her and grabbed her hand to lead her towards the throne room.

"At least pretend to be interested, okay?"

There was a young man there already. He was tall ( _too tall_ , Emma noted faintly), with wide shoulders and sun-kissed blonde hair. He looked like he spent most of his days outdoors, and was dressed in a simple yet elegant shirt with linen pants. His travelling cloak was secured with a golden pin, an insignia that Emma had not seen before. He turned to greet them, and Emma took in his light blue eyes and gleaming teeth.

"Princess Emma. It is my pleasure."

With that, he knelt into a deep bow. Emma stared at him.

"Um, right. It's nice to meet you…?"

He stood up. "My name is Gregory, your highness. The second son of the mayor of Fabletown."

Emma nodded at him, and turned to Mary Margaret with a panicked look in her eyes. Luckily Mary Margaret stepped in with the practice smile of a well-seasoned host.

"Gregory! How lovely to meet you. I've heard so much about you from your father!"

She smiled sweetly at him, and then turned to the footman who had brought him in.

"Edward, please show our guest to his room. He must be tired from his journey, and we should let him rest."

Gregory returned her smile.

"Thank you, your Majesty. I will take my leave now."

He bowed once more and followed Edward out of the room. Mary Margaret spun around and grinned at Emma.

"So? What do you think?"

Emma gave her a look.

"I didn't know Dad was involved in this."

Mary Margaret had the decency to blush.

"Yes well, he is a little like David, but I assure you, there's no one quite like your father."

"Gross, mom."

"I didn't meant it like that!"

Emma sighed.

"I don't know, Mom. He seems….nice?" she shrugged.

Mary Margaret patted her shoulder.

"Just keep an open mind, sweetheart."

Suddenly David swept in, with an excited Henry and a less-than-excited Hook.

"Did we miss him?" asked David, his eyes gleaming with excitement. Emma rolled her eyes.

"Don't worry Dad, David 2 will join us later."

David grinned sheepishly.

"He seemed nice!" he said defensively, and Emma was glad that she manged to nick his ankle when they sparred the day before.

Hook started to laugh, but turned it into a cough when David turned to glare at him.

"Mom, did you like him?"

Henry, ever the romantic, looked at her with imaginary clouds of hope floating around his head. She ruffled his hair affectionately.

"I just met him, kid. We'll see."

Over Henry's shoulder, Emma noticed that Hook looked as if someone had called the Jolly Roger a boat.

She looked back at Henry, who was gazing at her earnestly.

"We just want you to be happy."

She grinned at him. "I know, kid. While we wait for our guest to come back, do you want to explore the attic again?"

Henry grinned at her. A month ago they had stumbled across several small rooms in one of the turrets that were a treasure trove of trinkets, and now kept wandering back to wade through the trunks full of portraits and royal knick-knacks.

"Sure!"

* * *

 

Emma didn't see Gregory again until dinner. Quite frankly, she had forgotten that he was even there until he strolled in when his name was announced. He took a seat opposite from her, and she could feel Hook, who had slipped into the seat next to hers, tense up. She cleared her throat.

"I hope you are feeling refreshed." Emma said, looking towards Mary Margaret for approval, and she cheered on the inside when she was rewarded with a small nod.

Gregory beamed at her.

"Why yes, Princess Emma! The bath was delightful. There was such lovely smelling soaps. I've always been fascinated by soaps. How do they effectively hold the essence of a smell so well? In fact, once I visited a woman who made soaps…"

Gregory's spiel about soaps lasted an hour, right through the soup, salad and hors d'oeuvres. He thankfully lapsed back into silence when the main course arrived and Emma let out a sigh. She caught Mary Margaret's eye and noticed the strained smile that was stuck on her face. Emma grinned to herself. Just as they tucked into a dish of roasted quail with vegetables, Hook pipped in.

"I once defeated a pirate with a bar of soap." He said, conversationally.

Almost immediately Neal snorted and Henry laughed.

"Really? How?" David inquired, finally snapping out of the daze he was in.

Hook glanced at Emma and smirked at her before turning back to face David.

"The oaf was saying the ridiculous things. Claiming that he was the most vicious pirate on the seas- _Oh thanks, love, that's enough wine for now_ \- and I was mildly annoyed, and just wanted him to shut up. There was some soap nearby, so I flipped it up with my sword, and it flew into his mouth and got lodged there. Didn't meant to aim for his mouth at all, but there you go. He tried to continue talking but it just resulted in soap bubbles. It was quite beautiful actually."

Everyone in the room, bar Gregory, began to laugh at the ridiculous image that he had painted.

"Luckily it was unscented, so it wasn't a waste."

Hook grinned cheekily at Gregory, who did not seem to understand that Hook was teasing him, and continued to stare bewilderingly at him.

"Why were you in the presence of pirates?" he asked.

The room fell silent. Hook picked up his goblet and grinned.

"Well, that's because-"

"These potatoes are great!" Emma cut in, worried what Hook's revelation would lead Gregory to do.

Gregory looked at her and smiled.

"Absolutely right, your highness. It has been years since I have had such an exemplary vegetable. Potatoes are just like the salt of the earth…"

Hook rolled his eyes and downed the contents of his goblet in a single gulp, and Emma was surprised to see David follow suit. Things did not improve after dinner. They retired to a drawing room for some 'light refreshments', which basically meant cognac and cheese, not that Emma minded. Gregory blanched when David offered him some cognac, and refused.

"I'm afraid I don't drink. I want to be in control of my faculties at all times."

Silence filled the room. Emma could see Hook roll his eyes for what felt like the umpteenth time.

"I wonder what it would be like if you didn't have control of your faculties. Would you be as boring?" Hook muttered under his breath, and Emma chuckled before realizing that she was the only one who had heard his remark. He grinned at her, and moved to receive a glass of cognac from David.

"Oh…" said Mary Margaret, reaching for a pot of tea to offer him instead.

Gregory held up his hand. "Never mind me, your majesty. I will retire for the night."

He strode over to Emma, and knelt down. All eyes were on them, and Emma flushed with embarrassment. Both Henry and Neal were grinning, but Emma doubted that it was for the same reason. Hook on the other hand, looked positively mutinous, as if he would like nothing more than to punch the man.

"Princess Emma, would you do me the honour of accompanying me on a walk tomorrow?"

Emma, surprised by his formality, stuttered a bit before accepting. He bowed once more and left the room.

"Oi, are you really entertaining that lemon-scented pillock?"

Emma glared at Hook.

"That's none of your business."

Hook walked over to her, head tilted as he considered what she had just said.

"You're seriously considering a man who almost killed me?"

Emma looked at him in shock.

"He nearly killed you? When?" asked David, looking concerned.

"Just now, mate. He almost bored me to death there with his love of potatoes. Say, do you think he'd like potato-scented soap?"

The room burst into laughter, and Emma joined in spite of herself. Even Mary Margaret giggled, though she composed herself quickly. Hook grinned at Emma.

"He's no good for you." He stated simply.

Emma bristled. Once again, someone was trying to tell her what was right for her.

"You don't know that. And you don't know me."

She glared at Hook and then faced the rest of the room.

"Well, I'm exhausted. I'm going to bed. Goodnight."

With that, she swept out of the room. As she strode through the halls, she could hear Hook behind her, and her previous anger returned.

"Wait up, love. I didn't mean-"

She spun around to face him, and Hook skidded to a stop, almost crashing into her. She jabbed a finger into his chest.

"Listen buddy. I don't need other people telling me what to do and what to think. I'll make those decisions by myself."

Hook looked apologetic.

"Emma, I never meant to do that. I would never tell you what to do. I just think that-"

"You think what, Hook? If he's no good for me then who is? You?"

Hook was silent for a second, as if he was fighting internally with himself. Finally he straightened up and his gaze left hers.

"What if I was? Would that be so terrible, princess?"

His voice was low and husky, and even though he intended it to be sarcastic, she could hear the raw honesty that lay beneath the surface. She opened her mouth to speak, but Hook beat her to it.

"But you have the blonde lug here that just might be your true love. So I'll leave you to it."

He flashed her a forced, tight smile, and with a sweep of his coat, brushed past her.


	4. To knock a man down (off his high horse)

"I don't get it."

Emma sighed. That was the second joke that Emma made that Gregory did not get. She had made a grand total of three jokes within the past two hours. She had run out of things to talk about in the first fifteen minutes and she had let Gregory do most of the talking. She had discovered that he loved to talk and that he had an awful lot to say about the correct way to tie a bale of hay.

He was the most boring man she had met. He was good-looking enough, but dear god, he could not tell a story to save his life. He had no sense of timing and why did he have to speak in a monotone? Emma sighed. This was the longest walk of her life and she regretted agreeing to it. They had taken a stroll around the palace gardens and greenhouse, and they were now headed in the direction of the maze. She would hate if they entered the maze – it was one of her favourite places and she would hate to have it ruined by this idiot.

Perhaps if they did something other than talk? Emma noticed that Henry and David had left their wooden swords out near the door of the eastern wall.

"Gregory, how about we have a little spar?"

Gregory stared at her as if she had three heads.

"A spar? With you?"

Emma did not take well to his tone.

"Do you think that I wouldn't be any good?"

"I just don't think women should be fighting."

Emma groaned internally. Boring and misogynistic? He was the worst. She planned on asking Mary Margaret the most polite way to kick out a guest tonight. But first…

"Humour me."

Gregory's breeding and manners would not let him deny her request, so he dutifully took the sword she handed him.

"And spar!"

She lunged at him out of the blue, and he almost dropped his sword in shock, barely managing to block her blow. She parried and thrust once more and was successful in disarming him.

"You really shouldn't fight, your Highness. It isn't ladylike," Gregory remarked as he picked up his sword.

Emma's eyes narrowed. That was it. She couldn't deal with him anymore.

"Thank you for the advice, Gregory. I think I've had enough for the day. I suggest that you get ready for supper."

He nodded, not noting the iciness of her tone.

"May I accompany you back?"

She smiled sweetly at him, a smile that would have caused a toothache had he being paying attention.

"I have to go fight a few more men, and then I'm going to cavort with some pirates. I'll be a little late for supper."

Gregory stared at her in shock.

"You Highness?!" he stuttered.

Emma rolled her eyes.

"Please leave, Gregory."

He nodded, but still looked horrified, and hurried off.

Emma turned away from the castle, wondering if she could find a tree to punch to release her anger.

"Well done, love."

Emma groaned out loud.

"Not now, Hook."

She turned to face him. Where'd he come from anyway? He kept sneaking up on her. Damn pirate and his sneaky ways!

He grinned at her.

"Didn't you need some pirates to cavort with?" he asked playfully, his eyebrow doing that ridiculous attractive waggling thing that it did.

"You heard that?"

"Afraid so, darling."

She buried her face in her hands.

"He is the worst."

"I did tell try to tell you that, love."

"Shut up, Hook"

He grinned.

"Come on, Swan, let's take a little walk to let you cool down. I might even let you punch me."

She offered him a small smile.

"I'd like that."

He linked arms with her and steered her towards the maze, and strangely, Emma was fine with that.

"So tell me about Lord Lemon."

She laughed.

"Oh god, Hook, he's so-"

"Call me Killian."

His request was soft, with a slight hint of hope at the end of it.

Emma looked at him, and he did not meet her eyes.

"Killian."

He shot her a grateful smile and gestured with his hook for her to continue.

"He's even worse than I thought…"

By the time they reached the gazebo at the centre of the maze, she had recounted the entire afternoon to him, and Hook had not stopped laughing.

"Stop laughing!" she chided him, but she couldn't stop smiling either.

He wiped tears of mirth from his eyes.

"I'm not laughing at you, love. I'm laughing at that idiot."

Emma leaned against the banister of the stairs that led into the gazebo.

"Really?"

Hook smiled at her and moved closer to her.

"Of course. You are headstrong, determined, and dare I say it, stubborn-"

Emma swatted him on the arm for that.

"-but that's what makes you unique. You shouldn't change for anyone, let alone a wanker like that."

He had stopped laughing. He was so close to her that she could see the seriousness in his eyes. He was taller than her, but he didn't tower over her the way Gregory did. The perfect height. _The perfect height for what_? She asked herself, a light blush dusting her cheeks. _God, his eyes are so blue._ Gregory's eyes were a watery sort of blue, but Hook's were so bright. Like cornflowers.

Hook got the hint and leaned in further, his breath ghosting along her cheek. _He's going to kiss me_ , thought Emma hysterically. She could hear her heart in her veins, blood coursing through at her at a speed she hadn't felt in a very long time.

"Mistress Emma?"

Hook swore under his breath and pulled away.

Emma was overcome by sense of disappointment and embarrassment, and lowered her head while she pushed past Hook.

"Yes, Lillian?"

The young maid relayed that dinner was to be served in an hour, all the while blushing furiously while sneaking glances at Hook. A little pang of jealousy surged through her, but she pushed that thought away.

"Thank you Lillian. I'm heading back to get ready now."

Emma strode away without looking back at Hook, hoping that he wouldn't notice the little shiver in her shoulders.

* * *

"I am afraid that I cannot stay any longer. I fear that the princess and I…are incompatible."

Gregory's announcement at dinner shocked nobody, and Mary Margaret, realizing that he was waiting for a response, conveyed her feelings of _sincere_ disappointment, and nudged Emma until she too conveyed her disappointment in Gregory's decision. She turned to look at Hook, who was seated next to David on the opposite of the table, and he smiled a mischievous grin at her, one that she returned.

Mary Margaret watched the pirate carefully, and took a sip of her wine thoughtfully.


	5. Knights and Daze

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Suitor # 2

Peace had finally returned to the castle after Gregory's departure, and Emma was enjoying it. That wasn't the only thing she was enjoying. Ever since Gregory left, Hook had been a lot friendlier and flirtatious, and if Emma was being totally honest with herself, she was returning the affections.

It was different from before – his flirtations were meant to tease her and garner a response of disdain, but now…they felt sincere. He was gentler in his teasing and he was smiling a lot more, and Emma realized how blue his eyes were, and how lovely his laugh was, all deep and rumbly. Neal and Henry and both noticed, she had seen them give each other knowing looks when Hook walked her to breakfast the day before. He had taken to greeting her at her door in the morning with a buttercup each time, and Emma would be lying if she said she didn't like the gesture.

She lay in her opulent bed, and grinned with anticipation. He always had this silly grin on his face in the morning, like walking her to breakfast was the best thing to ever happen to him, but it was endearing. It was fun. Emma was having fun. And she didn't want it to stop.

After getting dressed, she cracked her door open and poked her head out. There he was, leaning against the wall, twirling a flower around with his fingers effortlessly.

"Good morning!"

Hook stumbled and dropped the flower.

"Bloody hell, Emma."

"Aww, did I scare the pirate?"

Hook looked affronted, adorably so.

"I was slightly startled, aye. Scared? I wouldn't say so…"

She laughed, picked up the flower and took his hand, a gesture that stunned Hook.

"Alright pirate. Let's get breakfast. I'm starving."

He sat next to her during breakfast, and every so often his hand would touch hers. He laughed louder, joked more and was in such a good mood that it was infectious. She grinned.

After breakfast, Hook followed her out into the hall. He reached for the hem of her sleeve, and once he had it, he rubbed in back and forth between his fingers. He seemed nervous. Emma took his hand and squeezed it gently. He smiled at her and opened his mouth.

"Emma, I was thinking that-"

"Mom!"

Henry appeared next to her, grinning at sly smile.

"Your next suitor has arrived."

Hook looked like he wanted to throw something.

* * *

 

The newest suitor came prepared. He had arrived with several trunks and stood before Mary Margaret and David in a gleaming suit of armor. He snapped to attention when Emma entered the room.

"Sir Percy, at your service."

He took off his helmet to reveal a man with shaggy, shoulder-length brown hair and brown eyes encased behind thick glasses. _He was cute_ , Emma noted, _in a teddy bear kind of way_. He smiled at her.

"Tales of your beauty do not do you justice, mi'lady."

Emma blushed in spite of herself.

"Thank you for those kind words, Sir Percy."

He was about to say something else, but his eyes caught a hold of something behind him, and they lit up. The man stood as still as a statue, with an awestruck expression.

Emma, confused, turned around to discover the object that had rendered Sir Percy immobile.

Hook was standing behind her with a decidedly grumpy expression on his face. However that expression was replaced with one of sheer astonishment when Sir Percy bounded over to him.

"Are you Captain Hook?!"

Hook regarded the shorter man with suspicion.

"Aye. What of it?"

The man beamed at him.

"The scourge of the seas? Is it true you've battled Blackbeard and lived to tell the tale?"

Hook was taken aback. Percy's excitement was apparent, and this threw Hook off.

"err, yes…?"

"YOU MUST TELL ME ABOUT IT"

And with that, Sir Percy dragged a stunned Hook out of the room, leaving everyone to stare in shock.

Neal started to snigger.

"Well, I'm glad I turned up in time to see Killian find his true love."

* * *

Sir Percy kept Hook to himself for the rest of the day, and when everyone convened at the dining room, Sir Percy made sure that he sat next to Hook and continued to badger him with questions. Hook was visibly annoyed, but at the same time looked slightly pleased that he had found his biggest fan. Emma giggled. The whole situation was hilarious. Hook caught sight of her grin and matched it with one of his own.

* * *

"Come good sir! I have heard many a tale of your dueling skills!"

Hook smirked at Emma before turning back to face Sir Percy.

"I do have a mastery of my own sword." He drawled, and then turned to shoot a wink at Emma, who rolled her eyes in response.

For the third day in a row, Sir Percy was hounding Hook. He was persistent, Emma would give him that. He had become his shadow, trailing his footsteps like an overgrown puppy, badgering him for details of his previous life, his exploits, his travels. Hook had been enthused by the interest that Percy was showering him with, but had grown increasingly grumpy with each passing day. He had kept trying to speak to Emma, but Percy would pop up between them like an overzealous weed, ensuring that Hook and Emma had no time alone together. Hook had stopped visiting her door in the morning, no doubt because Percy would follow him there also.

Emma sighed. Once again, just as she and Hook had a moment to themselves, Percy had turned up. She had run into Hook in the library one morning, where he was perusing through some maps. She had snuck in to return a book about the Kingdom of Arendelle's royal family.

He smiled when he saw her trying to close the door without making a sound. She had noticed him first, and he looked so studious, with his dark hair trying to conceal his eyebrows and his eyes gazing at a large map intently. She had smiled at the seriousness of it. She imagined this is what he might have looked like when he was a young lieutenant. She tried to close the large door behind her quietly, so as to not disturb him, but much like everything in this castle, it let out a small squeak as it slowly swung closed.

"Emma."

She returned his smile. He looked so much younger when he smiled. There was a lightness there that she hadn't seen before. Her stomach did the flipping thing that it had started to do every time Hook was around. Just then, the door banged open, the noise making Emma jump. Percy found them. Emma shot Hook a look, which he returned.

"Your Highness."

His bow has low and practiced, his nose almost brushing the ground.

"Captain."

Percy breathed the word out in a quasi-breathy whisper that made Emma grab a book from a nearby shelf to hide her silent laughter.

Hook rolled his eyes and gritted his teeth. He had long lost his patience with the man.

"What do you want, Percy?"

"A duel, good sir."

Percy had been on Hook's case for days, begging the former pirate for a fight. Emma shook her head in disbelief. What kind of knight goes looking for a fight? Then again, nothing was like the tales she grew up with. Perhaps knights were the douches of the Enchanted Forest? Emma made a mental note to ask Ruby when she visited next.

Hook slammed his fist onto the table, dislodging several heavy tomes. Percy looked up in shock.

"Dammit man, how many times must I refuse you?"

Emma almost felt sorrow for Hook. Percy had been following him for over a week. He was practically Hook's shadow. Hook probably wanted to punch the man, but Emma had a suspicion that Percy would enjoy that a little too much…but perhaps that was what he needed?

"Why not, _Captain_?" Emma said, hoping to rile up Hook.

Both men turned to face her, with similar expressions of confusion.

"Emma?..." Hook started.

"Didn't you say how good you are with your sword?"

This statement had the desired effect: Hook focused his attention on her, his tongue peeking out to run over his teeth, before disappearing into a smirking mouth.

"Why of course, _princess."_ He teased her in return, accompanying his response with a wink.

Emma couldn't stop the smile that bloomed on her face.

"Well then, prove it to me. Fight Percy."

Hook continued to smirk at her.

"As you wish."

Percy looked like he was about to faint with joy.

* * *

Once the news of the "duel" got out, David immediately suggested they make an event out of it, much to Hook's disdain and Percy's delight. True to his word, David had the courtyard decorated with bright flags and banners, and even had a small viewing area set up by the afternoon. He had even convinced Emma to wear a dress instead of her usual breeches-and-tunic combo for the event. At first she had refused, but her father's excitement was too cute to ignore.

"Alright, I'll put on a dress."

David beamed at her like some sort of overgrown puppy.

He failed to mention that he had gotten a maid to create a flower crown for her also, but in retrospect, she should have expected that.

As she made her way to the stands, she almost laughed over the ridiculousness of the situation. They were having a duel! At the castle! For fun! She grinned. This was what she had expected from this land when she had first arrived. She grinned and made her way over to her seat next to Henry. Several maids and guards were also present, lingering near the makeshift stand. This was probably the most excitement they would have in a while, Emma figured.

"You look nice, Mom."

She smiled at Henry. She had been outfitted in a fitted white dress, a corseted bust secured with a myriad of lace ties. The dress had a lace overlay that was particularly detailed on the trumpet sleeves and flowing skirt.

"Thanks kid."

Suddenly a trumpet rang out.

Emma leaned forward with a wicked grin aimed at David, who resolutely refused to make eye contact with her.

"They're here!" whispered one maid, a young girl named Lydia, in a loud stage whisper.

Indeed they were. Percy entered the hastily marked "area of combat" (as David called it) first, decked out in a chain mail vest, his sword strapped to his side. He had secured his glasses to his face by tying the earpieces to a piece of string that met at the back of his head. Emma sniggered at the sight of it, but then wondered why he would choose to fight if his eyesight was that bad. Still, he looked like he was having the time of his life. He was practically vibrating with happiness. Hook strolled in a moment later, nonchalant by the whole thing. He wore a loose black shirt with the first three buttons undone along with his usual tight leather pants. As he walked towards Percy, Emma noted that his good hand was behind his back. He acknowledged Percy with a nod, and then suddenly veered towards the stands, with an infuriating grin on his face. He stopped in front of Emma and leaned over the railing that separated the stands from the grounds.

"For the princess."

With that, he pulled a Middlemist flower from behind his back and presented it to Emma.

Someone whistled and Emma blushed, the heat rushing to her cheeks. She accepted the flower and as she did so, her fingers grazed Hook's and she feel a jolt of electricity pass through her.

"I hope to get a reward when I win, Emma." He tapped his lips and raised a teasing eyebrow, reminiscent of _that_ time in Neverland.

Emma blushed further, and David choked while Neal broke out into raucous laughter.

Hook winked at her, and turned away to join Percy in the ring before Emma could come up with a witty retort. She sank further into her seat, her cheeks still hot. Once both men were ready, David gave the signal and they began to spar.

Percy's Camelot training shone through: his moves were practiced and precise, and he soon had the upper hand, forcing Hook to be on the defensive. However, he lacked Hook's fluidity and grace. Hook had been studying him, Emma realized. Slowly Hook's movements became more graceful and almost theatrical, he parried every thrust that Percy threw his way. He started to gain some footing and Percy started to look flustered, and tripped over his own feet after Hook forced him into an uncomfortable position.

"Wait!" Percy said, throwing an arm out before Hook could strike.

He struggle to his feet and began to peel his chain mail off. Hook raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

"It's heavy." He retorted, and Hook smirked in response, and began to take his shirt off.

"It's hot." He explained in a mocking tone.

Emma sat up straight in her chair as she watch him peel it off his sweaty shoulders. She knew he would be toned – all those years fighting would do that to a man's physique. She also knew he'd have chest hair. The tufts that peeked over his half-unbuttoned shirts spoke volumes of what lay covered. She was not expecting his abs and the happy trail that lazily snaked its way below his pants (that already hung low on his hips, and she could only imagine where it led... _oh boy_.) She watched beads of sweat roll down his chest and she licked her lips. Suddenly she felt very hot and thirsty.

_Get a grip on yourself!_

What was happening to her? She was lusting after Hook, she had started calling him Killian and dammit just the sight of him made her grin like an idiot.

She stood up abruptly, staring at the floor resolutely.

"Bathroom. Lot of coffee." She explained in a clipped tone, and before anyone could respond, she gathered her skirts and took off running towards the castle.

She couldn't look back. As she ran, she heard the clang of metal, and a cheer from the crowd. It sounded like there was now a winner. She wondered if it was Hook. The mere thought of his name conjured up images of his body and suddenly the heat in her face was back. She shook her head, trying to dispel her Hook-flavoured thoughts. This momentary distraction was enough for her to almost crash into Regina.

"Sorry! I didn't-"

Regina arched an eyebrow.

"It's good to see you too, Miss Swan."

Emma smiled, momentarily distracted.

"It's good to have you back, Regina."

Regina returned her smile, and slowly appraised her dress. She met Emma's eyes and was about to say something when a small child appeared from behind her and tugged on her dress.

"Gina! There's a duel happening! Can we go watch?"

Regina smiled fondly at the boy and picked him up just as a handsome man joined them. He placed a quick kiss on Regina's cheek and ruffled the boy's hair. Emma stared. This must be Regina's fiancé. She smiled wistfully. She hadn't seen Regina happy in a long time.

"Emma, this is Robin. My fiancé. And this little cutie is Roland." Regina nuzzled the little boy's cheek affectionately and he giggled.

Robin extended a hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Emma."

Emma smiled.

"And you, Robin."

He returned her smile and gestured off into the distance with his head.

"Is the fight over? The guards who let us in were complaining about how they wouldn't get to see it."

Emma shook her head.

"I'm not sure, but if it hasn't finished, it'll be over pretty soon."

"Just exactly who is fighting?" Regina asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

Emma faltered for a second. Could she get away with revealing a minimal amount of knowledge?

"Hook and Sir Percy."

"And who exactly is Sir Percy?"

Emma sighed and rubbed her temples. There was no way she could escape.

"My suitor, apparently."

Regina burst out into laughter while Robin stared at her with bemused confusion.

"What's so funny, Gina?" asked Roland, tilting his head to look at her.

Regina smiled at him and placed him down.

"It's a grown-up joke, Roland." She explained.

She passed his hand to Robin.

"You should see if the fight is still going on."

Roland cheered as his father hoisted him onto his shoulders. Robin grinned at Regina and Emma before running off at an impressive speed. Regina turned to Emma.

"Are you heading back inside? I'm not interested at watching two idiots fight."

Emma nodded and grinned to herself. If this was how Regina felt before actually meeting Percy, she was in for a real treat when he joined them for dinner. They slowly made their way back inside, their heeled footsteps echoing down the empty hall.

"So."

Emma groaned inwardly, and turned to face Regina. No doubt she had some awkward questions to ask.

"Most women love to have men fighting over them," she remarked coolly. "but I take it that you aren't interested."

Emma stiffened.

"They aren't fighting over me." She replied defensively.

Regina smirked in response.

Emma glared at her.

"It's true! Sir Percy is obsessed with Hook, not me."

Regina grinned at her.

"Jealous, are we?"

Emma snorted.

"Of whom? Hook?"

"Of Percy."

Emma stared at Regina, who returned her stare.

"Don't worry though. That pirate only has eyes for you."

Emma blushed. Did everyone know about Hook's feelings towards her?

"And you feel the same way, don't you?"

Emma stumbled a little in shock.

"Wha-what?" she stammered.

Regina shook her head.

"You're as stubborn as he is."

She shook her head as if she was dealing with a bothersome pest and stalked past Emma and ascended the stairs at the end of the hall.

Emma regained her wits and hurried after her.

* * *

After peeling off her dress and taking a very long bath, Emma felt almost human again. She sighed and ran her fingers through her damp hair. She felt a lot cooler now, and she was thankful for that.

She threw herself onto her four-poster bed and lay still with her eyes shut.

What excuse could she give Hook when she saw him at dinner today? More importantly, why did she continuously need excuses around him? She could handle his little flirtations, but every time he was serious, every time he stared at her like she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, she felt the urge to run. She inhaled sharply. Of course, it was probably due to her shitty childhood. Hook would eventually see her for the worthless orphan she was. She shook her head. She wasn't that lost little girl anymore. She had her parents now, and her son. She knew they loved her deeply and she loved them even more fiercely, but it was hard to shake those old fears. Even the dregs of her relationship with Neal rose up, and though they had put it behind them, those old scars still hurt.

Before she could push those feelings down, she had a light rap at the door.

"Emma?"

It was Mary Margaret.

"You can come in, Mom."

The door eased open and Mary Margaret rushed in, and sat down next to Emma, her eyes swirling with worry.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?"

Emma nodded, feeling a little guilty.

"I was just feeling a little light-headed. That corset was pretty tight."

"I see."

Something in her tone made Emma realize that her mother knew more than she let on. She pushed herself up onto her elbows.

"Mom-"

"It's Hook, isn't it?"

Mary Margaret's perceptiveness threw her off, and Emma could only gawk at her in surprise. She sat up and tried to formulate a coherent answer.

"It's…he's…" She shrugged helplessly.

"Oh Emma."

Mary Margaret sounded almost wistful.

"It's okay to have feelings for him, Emma. And it's okay for you to take your time to deal with them. I know you've had bad experiences in the past-" Mary Margaret started to tear up at this point.

"but I just want you to keep an open heart. Okay?"

Emma nodded, her throat dry. Mary Margaret wiped away a tear and pulled Emma in for a tight hug.

* * *

Dinner that night was a lively affair, thanks to the presence of Regina, Robin and Roland. Percy's absence from the table was noted, but it ensured that dinner was a more casual and intimate affair, and Emma was overjoyed. It also meant that Hook could vent his feelings about the man, resulting in Regina teasing him about his "lover's quarrel" and referring to Percy as "Hook's boyfriend", resulting in Hook sending several kohl-lined scowls her way. Emma was enjoying herself, despite her disappearing act that afternoon. No one had mentioned it (except a concerned Henry, who had pulled aside before dinner to ask if she was okay), and Emma figured that she could thank her mother for that. She shot Mary Margaret a grateful smile. She then turned her attention to Hook, who resolutely seemed to avoid her, choosing to converse with Robin and regale the table with the highlights of his victory (a fact that made Emma's heart swell with pride).

As they all retired to the drawing room, Emma decided that she would pull Hook aside to explain her absence that afternoon.

"Your Highness?"

Emma turned to find Percy standing behind her.

"Yes, Percy?"

"May I have a word with you?"

She nodded, feeling several eyes trained on her. She gestured to Percy to follow her and led him to one of the numerous sitting rooms that the castle had. Why did they have so many in the first place? Was it so that princesses could turn down their suitors with some privacy? She strode in and gestured that he shut the door behind him. As he did so, she moved to stand in the middle of the room, unsure what she was supposed to do in this situation. Luckily, she did not have to wait for long.

"Princess Emma, as much as I have enjoyed my time here, I am afraid the time has come for me to leave."

Emma almost breathed an audible sigh of relief, but caught herself at the last moment. Percy seemed quite upset about it, and she wondered if it in part due to his loss. She smiled at him.

"I understand, Sir Percy. It was wonderful to have you as a guest."

Percy nodded in acknowledgement, his expression serious, and pushed his glasses up his nose.

"I must confess, Princess, that I might have l mislead you. You see-" Percy fumbled for words and adjusted his glasses once more.

"I've never been on a quest before. I've been trained, but I have spent most of my time researching. This was my first time in the field, so to speak."

He looked at her in fear, as if she was going to berate him for his confession, but Emma merely grinned. It had been clear that Percy wasn't a typical knight, nor did he have the experience of one, but his honesty was refreshing.

"Percy, that does not matter. None of us here would judge you for that."

He smiled this time, clearly relieved.

"Thank you, Princess, for letting me have an adventure. Meeting the Captain was a dream come true. And the opportunity to fight with such an infamous warrior? I can never thank you fully for this."

Emma almost laughed at the man's earnestness.

"You're welcome, Sir Percy."

"And of course," he continued, as if he hadn't heard her, "you are indeed lucky to be loved by such a man."

Emma blanched.

"Wait, what?"

Percy looked at her quizzically.

"My apologies, your highness. I thought it apparent, based on his attitude towards you during my time here, and his acute disappointment after he won today and realized that you were no longer there."

Guilt flooded Emma's body. She should have stayed till the end, she knew that. But she had been so overwhelmed that she couldn't have. She sighed to herself. She really did need to speak to Hook.

Percy took her silence to mean that he could take his leave, and after biding her goodnight and farewell (as he planned to leave at dawn), he marched through the doors leaving Emma to think about what he had divulged to her.

Sure, she knew he "fancied" her, as he liked to say, but love? Love was an intense emotion, and it would make sense that Hook would be that intense, but love her? Emma suddenly felt a little light headed. He loved her? The more she thought about it, the more giddy she felt. And how did she feel about him? There was something there, she couldn't deny it. She'd flirted with him, teased him, talked to him. And she wanted to continue doing so. She definitely liked him.

Sighing deeply, Emma left the room, wondering how she could face Hook now. Just as she started to think about him, he appeared. She mused about whether he had a sixth sense about it.

"Sir Ponce just announced his departure. You okay, love?"

She grinned at him, a combination of her happiness that Percy would be leaving but also because of the sheer fact that Hook sort her out.

"Yeah. He didn't really seem interested in me."

Hook groaned.

"If the rest of the lot are going to be like these two, best call them all off right now, Swan."

She laughed, and he grinned at her.

"A laugh! Good, I was starting to think I offended you."

She grimaced at that. She had a feeling he might blame himself for her sudden departure that afternoon, and she was right.

"Hook, listen. I just wasn't feel-"

"Is this about the kiss?"

She snapped to attention. Hook was staring at her, as if searching for her true feelings. She felt both exposed and slightly confused

"What kiss?"

"The one I teased you about. If I won."

She rolled her eyes and stifled a laugh. He suddenly looked nervous, and his hand went to scratch his neck, a spot right behind his ear. It was funny that he thought that would perturb her, after all the things he had said to her in the past, and after he taunted her about a kiss in Neverland (which he had received!).

"I was only teasing, love."

She stared at him for a few seconds, making a decision in her mind. It was adorable really, how upset he was at the thought that he had affronted her. She stepped into his space. He continued to stare at her with concern and guilt in his eyes.

"And you did win. Now are you going to take that kiss from me?"

He stiffened, looking almost offended, and completely missed the flirtatious tone in her voice.

"I wouldn't take something that you weren't willing to give." He said gruffly.

Emma did not reply right away. She moved closer to him and her hand rose to cup his cheek. Hook did not move, but his face revealed his apparent confusion. His eyes, previously fixed on her own, darted quickly to her lips, a move that Emma did not miss. She moved her lips to his ear, and she could feel his inhale sharply.

"I'm willing."

She brushed her lips over his in a soft kiss, and slowly pulled away. Hook blinked for a second, and ran his fingers over his lips, as if he couldn't believe that she would kiss him (again). Before she could react, his good arm shot out and encircled her waist, pulling her towards him, capturing her lips in a fierce kiss. His hand moved up her arm slowly, and came to rest in her hair, curling it with his fingers as he began to slow down, nipping at her bottom lip and savouring every new kiss he placed on her lips. They were long and deep, full of passion and want, and Emma's toes curled in delight. His kisses were as amazing as she remembered, and she breathed out a happy sigh onto his lips, and could feel his lips curl into a smile in response. He slowly pulled away, resting his forehead on hers and breathing deeply, a move that Emma found herself mirroring.

"Thank you, Emma."

She couldn't trust herself to speak, so she nodded in response. He shot her a small smirk, and then pulled back and ran his fingers through his hair, causing it to look more unruly than it normally did.

"As much as I would love to continue this, love, I fear that I wouldn't stop."

He looked so disappointed in his sudden burst of etiquette that Emma wanted to laugh. Still she smiled and brushed a particularly unruly lock away from his eyes. He returned her smile, and his hand reached for hers, running his thumb slowly caressing her knuckles before raising her hand to his lips.

"Goodnight, Emma."

"Goodnight, Killian."

He beamed at her in utter delight, and there was a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"Well, maybe one more."

Before Emma could react, he pulled her in for one more kiss, a particularly ardent one that held the promise of more kisses in the future. He left her breathless, with a cheeky "sweet dreams, princess" followed by wink. She went to bed that night with his kisses still lingering on her lips and her head full of thoughts of him.


	6. Third time's the charm?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh I almost forgot to post this! Sorry! :(

True to his word, Percy was gone when Emma turned up for breakfast the next day. She had woken up with a lot more energy than she had in days, and whenever her mind returned to the events of the night before, she couldn't stop the blush that bloomed across her cheeks. She wondered what would happen between them now, and wondered what she would say to him when she say him that day, _but first_ , she thought, as she heard her stomach growl, _some food._

She hurried to get ready and practically sprinted down the stairs towards dining room number three (the one they used for everyday occasions due to its "small" size. Once she entered the room, she beamed with delight. She loved the fact that it was just family and friends today, even if not all of them were present at the moment. She slipped into a seat next to Henry. She watched Regina feed Roland and smiled at Robin looking over his family with joy. She turned her gaze to her parents, who were both giggling about something cute, no doubt.

She turned to Henry. "Where's your Dad?"

Henry shrugged.

"Probably still sleeping."

Emma grinned. That sounded like Neal all right.

"And Hook's already had breakfast. He's gone to pick up some maps from his ship."

Emma narrowed her eyes at her son, who was trying to project the very picture of innocence.

"I didn't ask."

"Yeah, but you wanted to know."

He shot her a cheeky grin and she couldn't stay mad at him. She ruffled his hair.

"Don't overthink this, kid."

He wrinkled his nose at her and smiled.

"I know, mom. But he makes you happy and that's all that matters."

She blushed, and Henry grinned at her.

"Plus, he totally wiped the floor with Percy. It was awesome!"

Emma laughed.

"I'm sad I missed it, but I'm not sad to see him go. It was great that he left so early."

Henry returned her smile.

"Yeah, he has a great sense of timing."

Emma had to agree. They lucked in terms of suitors. They all knew the right time to leave. However, unbeknownst to her, the next suitor's sense of timing was not that great.

Just as Emma was tucking into a plate of toast and eggs, a page turned up at the door, looking slightly perturbed.

"Your highness, there is a prince who requests an audience with the King, Queen and Princess."

"What, another?" groaned Emma, burying her face into her hands. David murmured in agreement.

"I didn't invite any more! Just the two for now, I swear!"

Mary Margaret looked frazzled and confused, but nevertheless rose to her feet and followed the page out of the dining room. Emma and David followed soon after, both grumbling under their breath. Just then Hook joined them, his cheeks flushed and hair windswept. He winked at Emma discreetly and turned to David.

"I heard there was another visitor?"

Both Emma and David groaned in unison. Hook smirked.

"Well, this will be fun to watch."

David shot him a glare.

As they entered the throne room, Emma noticed the man who was talking to Mary Margaret. He had had sleek red hair, pulled back into a tight ponytail. Everything about him screamed royalty, from his polished boots to his stiff riding jacket that was embellished with numerous buttons (as shiny as his boots). He had light blue eyes and a dusting of freckles over his nose. He was clean-shaven save for a carefully trimmed moustache that framed his upper lip. Mary Margaret looked up and gestured to David and Emma as they drew near.

"Prince Klaus, this is my husband and my daughter."

Prince Klaus bowed to David, who returned it, and extended a hand to Emma. She placed her hand in his, and he placed a light kiss on her skin.

"Prince Klaus, eighth prince of the Southern Isles. It is an absolute pleasure to meet you, Princess Emma. Tales of your beauty have spread so far and wide that they have even reached my small country."

He smiled at her, but Emma noted that his smile did not reach his eyes.

"Charmed."

He nodded at her in acknowledgement and turned to speak to Mary Margaret.

"I apologize for turning up without prior notice, your highness, but once I heard that that Princess Emma was hosting suitors, I had to come see the beauty in person."

He turned to Emma with a winsome smile plastered across his face. Emma stood still, not sure how to respond to his words of flattery.

"Thank you?"

She glanced at Hook over her shoulder, wondering how he would react to this new suitor. Hook was clenching his jaw furiously, and without a word, he turned on his heel and strode out of the room.

Emma was at a loss of what to do, but she didn't have time to dwell on it. Prince Klaus was demanding her attention. Mary Margaret patted her arm, and whispered that she'd talk to Hook on Emma's behalf, and swept out the door. Emma sighed internally as she allowed herself to be led around the castle by David and the prince.

Klaus didn't seem to be terrible. He was more engaging and interesting than the previous two suitors, but they had set the bar so low that it was easy for him to impress them. He was courteous and asked all the right questions, and David seemed to take a shine to him. He told them tales about his small island nation (which _actually was an archipelago, thank you very much_ , he jokingly corrected David) and his large family ( _thirteen boys?!_ exclaimed Emma in shock).

The entire afternoon passed, and it wasn't as uncomfortable and awkward as Emma thought it would be, even after David excused him and left them alone. As they walked through the portrait room, a room that Emma disliked because of some of the paintings of creepy looking men (her ancestors, but still) that adorned the walls, Klaus cleared his throat loudly. Emma looked over at him expectantly.

"Emma, this has been lovely. So lovely in fact, that I formally request the opportunity to court you."

Emma knew it was coming. She didn't expect such a formal invitation, but there it was. She faltered a bit.

"Thank you, Prince Klaus, but I don't-"

"Just give me a chance."

He sounded desperate, and Emma wasn't sure why. Sure, they had a perfectly fine conversation, but it was mainly small talk, information about the castle and stories from his life. When he tried to coax any information out of Emma, she changed the subject. They got along, but Emma didn't feel completely comfortable around him. So why did he want to stay?

"I-"

"Emma?"

Mary Margaret poked her head into the room.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything?"

Emma shook her head.

"Good!"

She cracked the door open a little, just enough for Emma to see a flash of black leather pass by.

"Actually, your highness. I have some great news. Emma has agreed to let me court her."

Emma whirled around and stared at Klaus in shock. He returned her glare with cool indifference, and then just as quickly shot a smile to Mary Margaret, who looked pleasantly confused.

"Oh?"

"Yes."

Klaus beat her to it. He smiled at Emma once more, and Emma felt a shiver run up her spine. The Prince was more dogged in his pursuit of her than she realized, and she was determined to find out why. She nodded slowly at Mary Margaret, who had kept staring at her to discern the truth. Klaus turned to bow to both women, and then announced his departure.

"As lovely as your company is, Emma, I'm afraid I must take my leave. I have to refresh myself before supper."

And with that, he left. Emma stared after him, and then turned to address Mary Margaret, who was sending off _what-just-happened_ vibes.

"Emma," she said slowly, if trying to make sense of the situation. "I thought you and Hook-?"

Emma opened her mouth to respond. She didn't want to voice her suspicions about Klaus, especially because she didn't have any concrete proof of what he was up to. IF he was really even up to something. She remembered reading something recently, about his Kingdom. It had been involved in an "incident" with Arendelle many years ago, and it had been named as the aggressor. All her senses were on alert. She shut her mouth and her mouth formed into a tight smile.

"Hook and I aren't really…I'm not sure what we are. And I couldn't possibly be rude to our guest, right?"

Mary Margaret regarded her warily.

"True, but refusing him would not be rude in this case, Emma."

Emma shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant.

"Would it hurt to let him try? I wouldn't mind spending more time with him. He's an okay guy."

"I guess?"

Poor Mary Margaret looked very confused, and Emma felt like confiding in her, but held back. She smiled at her mother.

"Don't worry about it, Mom."

Mary Margaret visibly relaxed.

"Well, if you're sure, Honey. I trust you know what you're doing."

Emma nodded firmly.

"I do."

"Well, it's settled then. I'm going to take a page out of Prince Klaus's book and go get ready for his welcome banquet."

Emma rolled her eyes at this. They were going to have a fancy meal just because he was a prince? _Whatever_ , she thought. _That's the rules of royalty for you._

"I guess I should too."

She followed Mary Margaret out of the room, but just as she closed the door behind her, she noticed that same flash of leather disappearing behind a pillar to her right.

"You go ahead, Mom. I have to take care of something first."

Mary Margaret nodded, gathered up her skirts and hurried down the long corridor. Emma folded her arms across her chest. As soon as Mary Margaret was out of sight, she called out.

"Alright, Hook, you can come out now."

He didn't try to hide. Instead he stepped out from the pillar with a dark look in his eye. Emma was taken aback. She hadn't seen him this upset since the time he spent in Storybrooke trying to kill Rumplestilkin.

"Your Highness. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Emma ignored his cold, clipped tone.

"Stop sulking, Hook. I'm guessing you overheard my conversation. Well-"

He lifted a hand as if to silence her.

"Save it, Swan. I'm not interested in anything you have to say."

She stood still, trying to find a way to explain herself. Hook watched her for a few seconds, and then clicked his tongue angrily.

"Y'know, for a moment there, I thought-" He stopped and let out a short bark of a laugh. "I thought you actually cared about me." Emma could feel the hostility roll off his shoulders in waves. She could feel them crash into her, and she felt terrible.

"Hook listen. It's not what-"

She tried to step towards him, but he continued to hold his arm out, as if to ward her off.

"Oh on the contrary, Miss Swan. It sounded exactly what I thought it was. Keep your platitudes for your prince. I am done with you." And with that final declaration, he stormed down the hall, not even bothering to glance back at her, leaving Emma to wallow in her feelings of guilt.


	7. Read my lips (you're an idiot)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Ahhhh thank you guys for all the love! 
> 
> As it turns out, I am terrible at writing anything that resembles a love scene, so be warned (for this chapter and the next)

It had been several weeks since Klaus arrived at the castle, and Emma was frustrated. He had been the perfect gentleman, accompanying her on walks, dining with her in private, asking her for permission every goddamn time he wanted to spend time with her. And he didn't seem to have any other agenda than wooing her! The only thing that was annoying about him was that he was a little pushy. He tended to ask her to spend time with her in a way that she couldn't refuse.

No one else had picked up it yet. He was cordial to everyone, and no one had anything bad to say about him. David and Mary Margaret thought he was perfectly fine, Regina just shrugged and muttered a bored "eh" when Emma asked for her opinion, and the only people who had some reservations were Henry and Neal.

"He seems nice, Mom, but there doesn't seem to be any chemistry." Henry confided with her during one of their horseback riding sessions. Neal on the other hand, was much more blunt. "I don't like him." He told her as they walked down to breakfast together.

"Why?"

He shrugged. "I dunno. I just don't like the guy."

"Jealous?" Emma teased.

Neal jabbed her with his elbow.

"Har har. No, it's just something about him. I can't put my finger on it."

Emma felt the same way, but she was slowly coming to think that Klaus was not as villainous as she initially thought. He just seemed adamant on courting her, and that was it. Once that realization sunk in, she began to panic. Even though they were spending a lot of time together, there was nothing between them, no spark, no chemistry. They tended to talk about the most inconsequential things, and while she admittedly was holding out on him, she could tell that Klaus wasn't being completely forthright either. She kept trying to being up the topic of Arendelle, and he kept avoiding the topic.

She hoped that she could end this courtship without insulting her guest or without causing an incident. Of course, that was not the only thing that was worrying her. Hook had been avoiding her. He refused to make eye contact with her, and he had even started to head to the kitchen for his meals instead of joining the group in the dining room. She had tried reaching out to him, sending him messages and even turning up at his door, but to no avail.

She had spent a good couple of hours on day, camped outside his bedroom door only to realize he wasn't there. He had taken to (according to Fredrick, a particularly nosy page) spending most of his days destroying a hay-stuffed target with his sword or moodily (Emma raised her eyebrow wryly at Fredrick's descriptions and attention to detail) staring out to sea from the deck of the Jolly Roger.

Finally, she had had enough. After another Hook-less breakfast, she resolved to find him and force him to listen to her. She chomped on her last piece of fruit in determination, tying to formulate a plan. Just then the doors opened and David and Klaus stepped through. David cleared his throat as if to make an announcement, and all eyes turned to him.

"So, err, Prince Klaus here has convinced me to throw a ball." David shrugged. "We haven't had one in a awhile, and I thought it would be nice."

Emma's mouth almost dropped open, and she felt her heart plummet towards her stomach. What the hell was Klaus playing at? Was he planning something? She stared at him, but he stared back at her with an unreadable expression on his face. David rambled on about details and the rest of the group seemed enthused about it (except a decidedly grumpy Regina. Emma wondered what _that_ was about.) Her mind raced. She hated balls. She hated wearing those tight dresses. She had only been to two, but it was two too many.

The first ball had happened when they had gotten settled at the castle. It had been a grand soiree, but filled with strangers. Hook was away at sea so she didn't have a buddy to bitch to either. She had spent the night meeting people and avoiding the dance floor.

The next time had been a year after that, and she was sore after falling off her horse the day before, and she managed to convince David to let her leave early. She stayed for an hour before fleeing back to her room. Hook had informed her the next day that she had missed out on an interesting ball. He had turned up late, just in time to see a drunken Leroy attempt the Heimlich maneuver on a choking Doc, but Emma wasn't too upset that she missed it. How the hell was she going to get out of this one?

She stood to rush out of the room, but Mary Margaret grabbed a hold of her hand.

"Not so fast, Emma. We have to get you measured for your dress?"

"Are you kidding me?"

David frowned at her and she glared at him, but didn't fight back. She sullenly followed Mary Margaret to her room where the royal seamstress was waiting for them.

"Seriously, Mom? You're going to let him do this?"

Mary Margaret fixed her with a look.

"It's just a ball, Emma. It's customary to have one when royalty visits you."

Emma sulked and fell into a silence and let the seamstress Adamanta drape a variety of skirts on her. After half an hour, Mary Margaret piped up in a voice that she tried to make sound casual, but Emma could hear the excitement brimming in her voice.

"After Adamanta finishes up here, she's going to measure Hook for his new suit."

Emma tried to move, but Adamanta held her tight.

"Don't move dear. A pin will end up in the wrong place." She warned her, waggling her finger.

Emma rolled her eyes at that, but turned her face oh so slightly in order to be able to gawk at Mary Margaret.

"And he agreed to this?"

Mary Margaret let out a whoop of laughter.

"Oh god no! David didn't like his attire at our last ball, and basically strong-armed him into it."

Emma chuckled at the thought of David having that conversation with a surly Hook, and then had an idea. If he was going to be measured, he was going to have to stand very still. In one place. A sly grin crossed her face.

After Adamanta took off the last skirt and packed her things away, Emma offered to carry the older lady's supplies to Hook's room.

"Thank you dear!" She said, beaming at her. "You're such a kind girl."

"Yes. Kind." Mary Margaret said, eyebrow raised, in a tone that Emma was anything but.

Emma ignored her and picked up Adamanta's bag and followed the lady to Hook's room. The door was ajar, signifying that Hook knew she was coming, and had resigned himself to the fact that he was going to have to get dressed up for the ball. As they entered, Emma took in the surroundings. The room had a similar layout to hers. Opulent bed, majestic screen panel blocking off a short wardrobe. Emma almost snickered. What would he even have in there? The man only seemed to own two vests, one pair of pants and one jacket.

She turned to look at his bed. Unlike hers that had lush covers and pillows, his was simple and the only luxury he seemed to afford himself was the black silk sheets that covered it. She had to concede that the room was very tidy, and that was probably due to Hook's time in the Navy, a fact he had confided to her during one of their drinks in question, and had seemed insulted when she looked surprised. "I wasn't born a pirate, Swan." He had told her.

The pirate in question was standing near his wardrobe, hanging up his coat on the screen next to it.

"Well, get on with it then." He said between gritted teeth. He turned to face them, and his jaw dropped in shock. He glared coldly at Emma, and opened his mouth to ask her to leave, but Emma beat him to it.

"Adamanta needs the help. Don't you, Adamanta?"

Adamanta adjusted her glasses nervously, no doubt picking up on the weird energy in the room.

"I wouldn't mind some help."

Emma shot Hook a smug smile and he continued to glare at her for a few more minutes before sighing.

"Let's just get this over with."

As Adamanta got out her measuring tape and indicated that Emma could help her by jotting the numbers down in her book, Emma flopped down on his bed. Hook was now back to glaring at her. He couldn't turn away, and he had made the unfortunate decision to stand facing her.

"Did you know, Adamanta, that the ball is in honour of a visiting prince?"

Adamanta replied that yes, she had heard that. Hook's jaw twitched in frustration, and his eyes moved to stare off resolutely at a corner of the room. Emma took a deep breath and continued.

"He's trying to court me, you see, but I'm not interested."

Hook's eyes snapped to meet hers, and he did not seem as angry as he was five minutes ago.

"I initially thought he had an ulterior motive, and I wanted to him to remain here so that I couldn't figure it out. But I was wrong."

Hook tilted his head, considering her words, but he did not smile at her.

Adamanta then pipped in.

"Do you fancy somebody else?"

Emma almost choked. She did not expect this. Her eyes rose to meet Hook's and he was staring her with a serious expression. She swallowed and decided to be honest. Well, as honest as she could.

"Yes."

Adamanta tittered in delight, and shot her a wink. She said nothing more. Hook was silent also, but he now had a sad expression on his face. Emma felt embarrassed. It was if she had confessed her feelings to him and he had rejected her. Several uncomfortable minutes passed, and she stood up.

"I should go. Sorry, Adamanta."

Just as she reached the door, Hook spoke up.

"If his only motive is to court you, then perhaps you should consider the Prince. He would be the right kind of man for you."

He said it quietly, but in the stifling silence of the room, it rang out loud.

Emma yanked the door open, prickling with hostility. She turned to face him one more time before she left, hoping that the idiot would clue in to her feelings.

"Do you really mean that?"

His face did not change, remaining to stay in an expression that was best suited for the lovelorn.

"Aye."

"Fine then!"

She turned away in anger and slammed the door shut. She sprinted down the hall and up the stairs to her own room. She threw herself onto her bed and buried her head in her pillow, screaming in frustration. What kind of self-sacrificing idiot was she in love with? Did he think he wasn't good enough for him? She giggled deliriously. Funny, she thought that she was unworthy of love, yet here was a man who thought he was unworthy of her.

Then it hit her. She was in love with him! Was love always this annoying and frustrating? She let out a disgruntled sigh, and allowed herself to fall into an angry sleep.

* * *

She woke up in the late afternoon, still angry. She decided she was going to talk to Hook once more, and make her feelings clear, once and for all. After all, if there was anything her parents taught her, it was that you never give up on love. Renewed strength flowed through her, almost as if her realization of her feelings had opened up a well of energy. She headed to her toilet to splash some water on her face and change her clothes. (Another thing that annoyed her about Klaus was that dinnertime was now more formal than she would have liked.)

She put on a simple dress, an off-white dress with a modest neckline that lightly hugged her curves and was cinched at her waist with a thin braided belt. There. David couldn't yell at her now. She ran her fingers through her hair nervously, and then decided she better go find her pirate.

She headed back to his room, only to find it empty. She started her search of the castle, but after two hours of searching, she did not see a sign of him anywhere. After leaving the archery and sword practice range/area (David and Mary Margaret really did love to do everything together), hoping to find him taking his frustration out on a hay-stuffed scarecrow with his sword, she ran into Robin, who was practicing with his set of bow and arrows. Figuring there was no harm in asking, she asked he had seen Hook.

"Actually, I did see him a short while ago. He was heading down to the docks. He seemed upset." Commented Robin. Emma's heart leapt to her throat, and she thanked him profusely before hurrying down to the docks.

She found him aboard the Jolly Roger, and she was mad at herself for not checking there sooner. He sat his back facing the docks, while he gazed out at the sea. He seemed to be mindlessly knotting together twine to make some ropes. She took a deep breath and strode up the gangplank.

"Are you planning a journey?"

Hook straightened his back and stood up, letting the rope he had been tying knots into fall at his feet. He turned to face her, a tight smile on his face. If he was surprised by her presence, he wasn't showing it.

"Aye. I was thinking about taking a little trip soon."

"Where to?"

He shrugged.

"Hadn't thought about it. Maybe I'll sail around the isles for a bit. Maybe swing down to Port Royal."

She leaned against the mast and smiled wistfully.

"That sounds quite nice, actually."

A small smirk began to play on his lips.

"Care to join me, Princess?"

"Yes."

He stared at her, clearly not anticipating her answer. He faltered for a second, and once more a mask went up and that stupid fake smile had settled across his face.

"Not sure the Prince would like that, love. You, alone with a dashing pirate such as meself?"

He was deflecting, and it annoyed her.

"Enough."

He stared at her with a quizzical brow. She began to pace out of anger, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw him slip down into his previously vacated seat. She spun on her heel and stomped over to him.

"Enough about Prince Klaus! Stop trying to decide what I should do and who I should be with! You know what? I've had enough. Enough of all these idiots trying to convince me that they love me when I know they don't. I'm so tired, Hook. I just want a break from people telling me what to do and who I am. I thought you of all people would understand that."

Hook looked up at her, and she suddenly felt very self-conscious. That, coupled with the cool evening breeze, made her shiver. Without a word, he peeled his heavy jacket from his shoulders and rose to drape it around her shoulders.

"How do you walk around in this thing? It weighs a ton."

He chuckled, his hand and hook resting on her shoulders. He was close enough for Emma to feel the heat rising off his body, and she could feel the heat that left him start to fill her up. He smelt good too: his coat was not only heavy with leather, but also with sweat, spices, and rum. It was a heady smell, one she associated with him. She looked at him and found him staring. His hand slipped down her arm and his hook went to her waist.

"Emma." He started. He paused, trying to gather his words.

He smiled and his hand went up to play with her hair. He twirled the strands around in his fingers, and Emma was glad that he was not wearing his usual heavy rings. He tucked several errant hairs behind her ear ( _a foolish task_ , she thought. _The sea breeze would soon free them_. Still, she shivered when his thumb grazed her cheek on its return).

"You know that all we all want for you is your happiness."

"And you don't think you could make me happy?"

He was silent for a second, and Emma regretted her outburst.

"Aye."

It was a low response, full of sadness and longing, and suddenly Emma felt angry, and she balled her hands into fists.

"You'll make me even less happy if you leave." She took a deep breath and tried to will away the tears that were starting to well in her eyes. "Why are you trying to leave me?"

He looked shocked for a split second, and then gathered her into his arms into a tight embrace. He rested his chin on her head on her head. She inhaled sharply, and hugged him back as tightly, the tension in her body slowly escaping.

"Oh Emma. My Emma. I would never leave you. I-" He paused, trying to gather his thoughts. "I thought you and Klaus…you seemed to get along…and I…" He paused once more, and Emma felt him tense up. "I'm a commoner. I'm not the man you should be with. I know that. Yet it hurts me to see you with someone else. I-"

Emma pulled away, her anger returning. His jacket slipped off her shoulders due to her sudden movement and fell to the deck.

"And you think you know what I want? Who I want? What I deserve?"

He gaped in shock.

"No I didn't mean-"

"I don't want Klaus, Hook. I want you."

Without warning, he pounced on her, his lips slamming into hers. He kissed her as if this was their first and last kiss, as if he would never get to kiss her again. He pulled her into him, a move that deepened the kiss. It was hot and heady and Emma felt as if she was floating. He stopped to breathe a few minutes later, and smiled at her while he continued to hold her.

"Emma, I've loved you since you left me up that blasted beanstalk. I can't fathom why you'd want a man like me-" She silenced him with an open-mouthed kiss that rivaled his.

When they broke apart for air moments later, she smirked at him.

"You're a better man than you think, Killian Jones."

He chortled and pulled her in for another kiss.

"I must be, if Princess Emma thinks I'm worthy enough for a kiss."

They kissed lazily, Emma taking the opportunity to run her fingers through her hair, and Hook's fingers drifted down her back in a comforting gesture. Hook then took the chance to press hot kisses along her jawline and neck, sending tingles of pleasure down Emma's spine.

"You don't know how long I've wanted to do this." He murmured into her skin, nipping gently at a patch of skin near her collarbone. She groaned and tugged sharply at his hair, forcing him to look up at her.

And what a sight he was. His heavily lidded eyes were filled with lust and his lips were swollen from their substantial makeout session. His eyes kept drifting to her lips, and he had the audacity to lick his lips and shoot her a toothy grin. His hand slipped further, moving to her ass, giving it a gentle squeeze. She yelped in response, and playfully swatted at his chest in response. He chuckled and buried his face into her neck.

"Apologies love. I can't seem to keep my hand to myself."

Emma laughed in response, and Hook raised his face to look at her. Percy was right, Emma realized. Even if he hadn't declared the extent of his feelings towards her, there was no denying now that Hook was in love. It was written all over his face and his eyes had a sparkle in them that Emma had never seen before. Old Emma would have balked and run for cover, but New Emma felt a sense of utter bliss that overtook every sense in her body. She nuzzled his neck and grinned at the surprised yet contented grunt he responded with.

"As much as I would love to stay here, I fear you are needed back at the castle, love."

She groaned, and he laughed, pressing a kiss to her hair.

"I know, I know. But you have a ball to attend and a Prince to reject."

She laughed and reluctantly pulled away from him. She slipped her hand into his and nudged him playfully as they disembarked the ship

"You'd better be escorting me back, Hook."

He grinned at her, and tapped her nose impishly.

"I wouldn't be much of a gentleman, would I now?"

She snorted.

"What kind of gentleman grabs a princess's ass?"

He smiled wolfishly at her, and lowered his lips to her ear, ghosting her lobe with his tongue

"With an arse as delectable as your own, you can handle expect me to ignore it."

He nipped at her earlobe, and Emma felt a shot of lust course through her veins.

"Easy there, pirate. We do have to get back."

It was his turn to groan.


	8. Ballroom blitz

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who commented and/or left kudos. It means the world to me!
> 
> It's a hard T rating for this chapter, so be warned - things get a little heated!

The date of the ball was growing nearer, and Emma was getting antsy. She and Hook had decided that she would tell Klaus that she was not interested after the ball was over. Well, she decided on that course of action, and Hook reluctantly agreed to go along with it. She continued to spend her days with Klaus, but remained aloof and distracted, hoping that her cold behaviour would discourage him. Her nights, however, belonged to Hook.

They'd meet on the Jolly for midnight picnics, supplied with treats Hook had pilfered from the kitchen. ("I asked _nicely_ , Swan." "Sure you did."), they'd rendezvous in the highest tower of the castle, the one with the ledge that led out onto open air so that Hook could point out the constellations to her, and she could snuggle up next to him. They would sneak out into the maze after everyone else had retired for the night, having desperate makeout sessions in the gazebo where she first wanted him to kiss her. Emma was in heaven.

Being with Hook was so comfortable and easy, and now Emma understood why her parents were so anxious to find someone for Emma to love, and even though they didn't have a lot of time together at the moment, it was enough for now. Hook though, wanted more, and was starting to get bolder. He started to innocently graze her hand when they passed each other during the day. He'd slip his hand into hers whenever they got the chance to sit together at meals. And if he couldn't sit next to her, he did his damned best to sit across from her and nudge her feet with his playfully. She would try to glare at him, but he would smile innocently back at her, and she couldn't remain mad, although she came to realize that with Hook, there was no such thing as innocent.

Two days before the ball, he grabbed her while she was making her way back to her room after having tea with Klaus. He pulled her into a nearby room, a small study that held a large desk, a comfortable looking chair, and several shelves full of heavy books. He grinned cheekily at her as he shut the door and locked it, and she wanted to be mad at him, but she couldn't stop the excitement of sneaking around flood her bloodstream.

He backed her up into the desk, and used his hook to push her up onto it. He leaned into her, his lips brushing hers gently. Then he moved away slowly, and Emma realized that she had been holding her breath. His eyes were a darker blue, clouded with a layer of lust. He dipped his head back towards hers, and this time he captured her lips with his. Emma's mind went blank. Was this was she was missing out on this whole time? Hook kissed her like he meant business, like he was the owner and sole proprietor of the "Kiss Emma Out Of Her Senses" company. He knew the spots that made her moan, moving to kiss right below her ear and on the spot on base of her neck.

He slowly kissed his way up to her ear, so that he could nibble at her earlobe and whisper how lucky he was and how amazing she was into her ear. Emma giggled, his warm breath tickling her throat. She had realized in that moment, that they were like teenagers, sneaking around her parents. She was finally getting the quintessential teenage experience of dating the bad boy that the parents disapproved of (Not that hers did, at least not anymore). Hook lifted to head to look at her, a small smile playing across his face.

"What's so amusing?"

She grinned, moving her hands to rest near his neck.

"I was just think about how we're basically sneaking around like teenagers. I feel like at any time my parents will barge in and yell at us."

He licked his lips lasciviously, moved his head to nose at the top of her dress. His hand went to fondle her breast, giving it a sharp squeeze and causing Emma to gasp.

"Then let's give them something to yell about, hm?"

He kissed her hard and pressed himself against her, and Emma could tell that he was more than a little aroused by the situation. His hook moved to fumble with the hem of her skirt, slipping under and tracing its way up her thigh. Emma groaned with pleasure as the cool metal met her heated skin. Hook's lips moved to her neck, sucking at the skin with pressure that was enough to send her into a euphoric state without leaving a mark behind. He then dipped his head further, nosing her neckline lower, just enough for him to place kisses on the top of her breasts. His tongue lapped at the start of the valley between her breasts, as if it was begging her to let it continue its exploration of her body. Emma could feel herself drowning in a state of bliss.

"…Hook, we can't…" she half-heartedly managed to get out. He stilled against her, and sighed against her skin. He kissed her breasts once more and adjusted her dress. He moved his head up to stare her in the eyes. They were still brimming with lust, and Emma almost wanted to tell him that she changed her mind, that he could ravish her here and now. He kissed her gently on his lips and slowly pulled away from her, his hook leaving her hips where it had gone to steady her when she started to move against him (the first time her hips ground into his, he'd let out a moan of pleasure mid-kiss that caused her to grow wet between her thighs.) and his hand leaving its comfortable resting place on her ass. He ran a hand through his hair, and he looked thoroughly fuckable.

"'Suppose you're right, Swan." He said, not even attempting to mask his disappointment. She slid off the desk and moved her hands to smooth down his collar (she had grabbed it at one point in order to deepen a kiss).

"It's not for too long, Killian."

He smiled, and took her hand and raised it to his lips. His eyes never left hers as he pressed a burning kiss to her wrist.

"Till the day after tomorrow, darling."

* * *

Emma spent most of the day of the ball getting ready. Adamanta had delivered her dress, a jewel-toned red dress with a deep sweetheart neckline and full skirt. The tapered bodice showed off her figure and the low neck did wonders for her cleavage. Her hair was curled and piled up on her head, with a few strands framing a hair, while the rest was secured by a shimmering tiara. Mary Margaret clapped her hands in delight when she walked in.

"Oh Emma! You so beautiful!"

Emma blushed at the compliment.

"Thanks, mom. You look fantastic too."

Mary Margaret was wearing a gown of a similar style, only hers was dark green and sleeveless with a bateau neckline. She strode over and linked arms with Emma.

"Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

As they descended the stairs into the main ballroom, Emma could see that it had already begun, and there was already a crowd on the dancefloor. There were stewards milling about, offering guests goblets of wine and canapes. The ballroom itself was exquisitely decorated, bursting with fresh floral arrangements and rich drapes. As they reach the bottom, the music stopped and the crowd turned to face them, and parted slightly to let Hook and David through. The men strode up to Emma and Mary Margaret and bowed deeply, which the women returned with a curtesy.

Emma bit the inside of her cheek. Hook looked even more gorgeous than he normally did in his pirate garb. He was dressed in a tan dress coat that was lined with black embroidery down the font and along the lapels. His pants matched his jacket, and Emma was thrilled to note that it was tailored to his body. He had replaced his hook for a prosthetic hand, and both hands where encased in black gloves. His white shirt was not buttoned up fully, Hook's form of rebellion no doubt, and was largely covered by a black vest.

"You look-" Emma started, as he offered her his arm.

He waggled an eyebrow at her.

"I know, Swan."

She shook her head and grinned. He led her around the room, and started to veer her towards the dancefloor, where the couples had started to dance once more. He released her arm, and they stood still for a moment, observing the general splendour of the room.

"Where's the prince?" she asked.

"He was here a few minutes ago. Probably fainted at the sight of you in that dress."

Emma punched him on his arm, and he grinned.

"Seriously Swan. You cut quite the figure in that dress."

Emma blushed and smoothed down the edge of her sleeves.

"Dave teared up when he saw you. It was adorable."

Emma smirked. "You should have seen him at my first ball. He almost cried when he saw me in my dress."

Hook chuckled. "Too bad I missed that one. But now I can make up for it."

He turned to face her, and extended a hand towards her.

"May I have this dance?"

Emma placed her hand in his, and allowed him to lead her onto the dancefloor.

"Be warned, I'm not a great dancer. David tried to teach me for my first ball, but I skipped out on as many lessons as I could, and he eventually gave up on me."

Hook smirked at her as he placed one hand at her waist.

"There's only one rule when it comes to dancing, Swan. Pick a partner who knows what he's doing."

With that, he twirled her around in a circle and they began to waltz. Emma was not surprised at his ability to dance. She had seen his footwork whenever he practiced with his sword, and she could tell that he would be very graceful. What she didn't expect was his ability to make her seem graceful too. They seemed to fit perfectly together, and complemented each other well. Hook made sure to compensate if she was not sure of her footwork, but she was slowly getting the hang of it.

"You appear to be a natural, princess."

Twin spots of colour bloomed on her cheeks as they swayed closely together. He looked at her with a bright smile. She felt a little giddy and wanted to kiss him, right then and there. However, fate intervened. Klaus appeared behind Hook and tapped his shoulder.

"May I cut in?" He asked.

Hook plastered a tight smile across his face and passed Emma's hands to Klaus. As he left the dance floor, Emma could see him turning around every few seconds to shoot a glare at Klaus. Klaus adjusted his hands around her waist and hand and led her into another waltz. It was a little awkward. His steps were practiced, but Emma's was not. They stumbled every now and then as he did not change his movements to make up for her lack of knowledge. _They were simply two people of sync_ , thought Emma. A fact she hoped he would pick up on soon.

The song ended soon, and Emma was glad for small mercies. She excused herself and headed away from the dance floor to grab a goblet of wine. Unfortunately for her, Klaus followed her. As soon as she stepped away from the dancing couples, he grabbed her wrist and held it tight.

"Please accompany me outside, Emma. I wish to speak with you in private."

Emma was stung by the coldness in his voice, and was surprised by the strength of his grip. She looked back to see if she could make eye contact with Hook, but they were on opposite sides of the floor, and the waltzing couples made it hard for her to pick out a face from the crowd. She saw Neal waltzing with Tinkerbelle, but failed to catch his attention because he was so engrossed with the petite blonde. She'd tease him about it if she could. She dragged her feet, and pretended to consider his request, but Klaus did not wait for a response.

He dragged her away, paying to heed to her protests, and pushed her through the French doors that led onto the veranda. As the doors shut behind them, Emma felt a little nervous. They were all alone, no one had seen them leave, and while the heavy doors kept the noise of the ball in, it also meant that no one could hear them. Klaus continued to drag her further away, trying to led her down the stone stairs and into the garden. As his foot hit the first step, she managed to wrench her hand away from Klaus and moved backwards away from him. He had been holding her wrist so tightly that she was sure it would leave bruises behind. He raised his hands up in a defensive gesture.

"I just wanted to talk to you, Princess."

The controlled tone of surprise in his voice told Emma that he was looking for more than a talk. She stepped down onto the grass and stared at him. He smiled to himself, and turned and stepped back onto the veranda.

"I think you should marry me."

There was no preamble, no romantic gesture. Most importantly, he wasn't asking.

"No." Emma said, trying to mask the rage in her voice.

"Oh Emma," he said, chuckling darkly. "Don't make me force you."

Her blood ran cold. Why was he so adamant about this?

"Why? We don't even get along that well."

"The prince needs a princess. He sure as hell can't be king of his own kingdom."

They whipped their heads around to locate the source of the voice. It was Hook. He leaned against the closed doors and stared at Klaus, his arms crossed in front of his chest. He shot a look at Emma, silently asking if she was okay, and she nodded in response. She didn't know how he had found them, but she was glad that he did.

Klaus sneered.

"I see your pirate pet has come to save you. Tell me, what kind of royalty keeps company with such scum?"

"Fuck off, Klaus!" Emma yelled, just as Hook snarled "I'm no one's pet!"

Then Hook composed himself and smirked at Klaus. "Plus, Emma doesn't need anyone to save her."

Klaus turned around to face Emma, and was met with her fist to his face. It collided with his eye, the resulting noise making her smile grimly with satisfaction. He fell backwards with a surprised grunt, with one hand going towards his eye and the other moving to fumble near his boot for what seemed was a concealed boot. Hook ran over in a flash and kicked the man's hand away rather viciously, and the man moaned in pain. Hook stepped on the man's boot, and Emma drove her heel into his side, make Klaus yelp in pain.

"I suggest you leave immediately, Klaus. I wouldn't want to hurt you." She said, mocking him with his own words. Hook nodded in agreement, looking positively gleeful. Klaus tried to glare them down, but he could see that he was at a loss. Hook reached down and hauled him to his feet. He strong-armed him back towards the doors, and wrenched it open. There were two guards standing at the ready there, as if Hook had anticipated Klaus's actions. They stepped out and stared at Klaus with anger shining in their eyes. _Did they know what had happened?_ Emma wondered. Hook handed the prince over, but before they could take him away, Hook leaned down and pulled the short dagger out of Klaus's boot.

"Please take our _esteemed_ guest back to his room and accompany him to his carriage." Hook told them, almost spitting out the word guest. "He will be leaving as soon as possible." The guards saluted Hook and dragged Klaus away. Hook and Emma watched them lead Klaus away. As soon as they were out of sight, Hook pulled Emma into his arms.

"He didn't hurt you, did he?" he asked, studying her with concern.

Emma shook her head. "No. The most he did was hold my wrist a bit too tightly."

Hook took her hand with the aforementioned injured wrist into his.

"This one?" he asked softly.

She nodded. He lifted it to his lips and placed a light kiss there. She smiled at the gesture, her heart warmed by the gentleness of the action.

"How did you know-?" She asked, curiosity getting the better of her. He beamed at her, and tapped her nose.

"I had my eye on you the whole time. I knew he was up to no good, and I looked into him. What did you think I did during the day while you were off with not-so Prince Charming?" He waggled his eyebrows.

"You could have told me!"

"I wasn't really sure of what he was planning, love. I just had an inkling of it. I told the guards to be on the watch for him, and sure enough, they told me today that they intercepted a letter that he was trying to send to his family telling them that he was going to make sure that you married him at any cost. So I told the guards to keep an eye on him tonight. I know you're a tough lady, but I just wanted to make sure."

He scratched his ear bashfully, and Emma reached out to cup his face in her hands. He peered into her eyes and beamed.

"Thanks, Killian." With that, she leaned in and kissed him, and he returned the kiss enthusiastically. She pulled away and he pouted as she did so, causing her to giggle.

"I think we should go tell my parents about this, huh?"

"Aye, that would be wise. I also have to make sure that the bastard actually leaves."

She laughed out loud, and grabbed his hand, leading him back indoors.


	9. Wherein David gets a clue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, the end! Thank you to everyone who followed this story so patiently!

David kept sighing, and Mary Margaret was starting to become annoyed. After Emma and Hook revealed Klaus's true nature, David had become a little sullen (right after he raged about the prince and demanded to punch him). He hadn't slept well that night, resulting in both Mary Margaret and David waking up early the next day and also was to blame for Mary Margaret's current state of grumpiness. After tossing and turning the whole night, David had gotten up and started to pace the floor of their bedroom, but Mary Margaret refused to move from under the covers. ("It's not even light out, David!")

"When is our daughter going to be happy, Snow?"

Mary Margaret shrugged, slightly irritated. He wasn't going to drop this. She pushed the covers off her and rolled out of bed. There goes her hopes of him shutting up and allowing her to fall back asleep.

"I mean, none of the men who came here worked out. The last one was psychopathic, for crying out loud!"

He paused.

"Percy and Gregory were okay, I guess."

"You didn't like them either. Not in the end, anyway." Mary Margaret pointed out. "And the Klaus situation was handled without too much trouble."

David clenched his fist.

"If that royal brat tries to start anything again, I swear I'll-"

"Hey now." Mary Margaret moved to massage his shoulders, and she could see him immediately begin to calm down.

"It's just that…I want her to be happy. As happy as we are."

Mary Margaret smiled, and placed her head on his shoulder.

"And she will be. One day. She has to find her own way."

David sighed once more.

"I guess you're right."

She beamed.

"And I think you'll find that it might happen sooner than you think."

David turned and stared at her in confusion, but she just shot him a smirk as she moved towards their walk-in closet. Once they were both ready, they headed down to breakfast. _It was kind of nice_ , Mary Margaret mused, _just the two of them, spending some quality time together_.

"Maybe we should see if Emma is awake. She did she was going to bed early last night, and left before we did."

Mary Margaret coughed discreetly. Their daughter had left early, feigning fatigue do to the stress of the ball and the whole Klaus episode. David had believed her, but Mary Margaret saw the look she was giving Hook, and realized that Emma had another reason for leaving early. Not to mention that the pirate disappeared soon after. She had almost rolled her eyes at how obvious they were being.

She knew something was brewing between them for a while now. It was hard to miss the yearning looks Hook kept shooting at Emma, and when she cornered him after he stormed away when Klaus first arrived, her suspicions were confirmed. The pirate was indeed in love with the princess. He tried to deny it, but Mary Margaret managed to coax the truth out of him. If the look Emma gave him the night before was indication, she felt the same way Hook did. She smirked. She remembered her conversation with Emma about him, and how Emma was in denial about her feelings. She'd come so far now! Mary Margaret was proud.

"I think we should let her sleep in, dear."

"But we should at least go check to see if she is alright. Especially after the events of last night."

"Oh, trust me. I'm sure she's very much okay."

"If you're sure."

In order to take his mind off things, Mary Margaret convinced David to take a walk before breakfast. They set out for a long walk among Mary Margaret's prized rose garden, enjoying some much deserved alone time before heading back to the dining room. They were still a tad too early, and it was a while before the rest of the castle's residents trooped in. Hook and Emma were the last to arrive, and of course, they arrived together.

They both looked exhausted but happy. Emma was practically glowing with happiness, and Hook looked more relaxed than he had in days. They both had giant grins on their faces and greeted the table with a bit too much enthusiasm. Mary Margaret could have sworn that they were holding hands when they entered. Both Neal and Henry smirked at each other, giving each other high fives across the table. Regina just smirked, and Mary Margaret had to hide her own smirk behind a goblet of juice. Only David remained oblivious.

As the rest of the meal dragged on, it became evident to others at the table that Emma and Hook were now an item. They could keep their eyes off each other, and their smiles did not diminish. Mary Margaret saw Leroy slip a large golden coin into Granny's hand, grumbling under his breath, and she regretted not getting in on that action. She caught Hook's eye, and raised her goblet at him in a silent toast, and he bashfully returned it.

He turned to Emma and placed a light kiss on her cheek before rising to fetch himself a napkin to replace the one he had passed to Emma after she had dropped hers on the floor in shock, choking on her toast when Roland innocently asked why she had a red mark on her neck (that she had tried to cover by sweeping her blonde mane to a side).

"Hey!"

Mary Margaret turned to her husband, who seemed hellbent on getting her attention. His eyes had a vague expression of panic, but his smile was reminiscent of a madman. He indicated that she move in closer so that he would whisper something in her ear.

"I think Hook is in love with Emma!" He whispered furiously.

Mary Margaret could only laugh in response.


End file.
